Enter The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition 2008

PITTSBURGH, P.A. · August 5, 2007 – The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition offers students interested in Fashion Design or Fashion Marketing, Merchandising or Retail Management an opportunity to compete for a full tuition scholarship to study at one of The Art Institutes.

Open to high school seniors across North America, The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition was created to encourage and reward young fashion design and fashion marketing, merchandising and retail management talent at the high school level.

Since it began three years ago, interest in the competition has taken off. Says Bruce E. Dempsey, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs for The Art Institutes, "We have seen the number of students entering the competition just explode. There are so many wonderful fashion courses in high school today, and many students see a career in this industry within their reach."

The competition consists of two categories, (I)Fashion Design and (II)Fashion Marketing, Merchandising and Retail Management. The grand prize in each category includes a full tuition scholarship to The Art Institutes school location with a Fashion program at which the student entered the competition.

Last year's winner in the Fashion Design category, Graehme Field of Tiverton, RI, created an amazing bodice fit, knee-length tulle dress in light cocoa, inspired by the falling leaves of autumn in New England. "When I found out I won, it was so amazing because I knew I would have a real chance at success in this industry by getting the training and skills I'll need to succeed," said Field who will attend The Art Institute of New York City in the fall.

Nash Gilley, the winner in the Fashion Marketing, Merchandising and Retail Management category said that her winning entry, "Fashion Savvy" was a way for young fashion designers to market their business to the public, and she hopes that "someday I could make this plan a reality with the education I'll get." Gilley will attend The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago in the fall.

In addition to a full tuition scholarship, each grand prize winning student receives an all-expense-paid trip to New York City for Fashion Week in February 2008 and a "meet and greet" at Seventeen magazine's offices.

Deadline for entries into the competition is November 19, 2007.

To be eligible, students must be a senior in high school, set to graduate in 2008, complete an entry form, have a minimum G.P.A of 2.0, write a short essay describing their interest in fashion and submit a finished, originally designed evening wear garment and process book, for the Fashion Design category or a create a product or plan for the Fashion Marketing, Merchandising and Retail Management category (for complete details go to www.artinstitutes.edu/passionforfashion).

For more information on how to enter The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/passionforfashion.

The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu) is a system of 36 education locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.